Former Rochester man accused of trying to strangle woman is indicted

Thursday

Oct 11, 2012 at 3:15 AM

By Liz Markhlevskayalmark@fosters.com

ROCHESTER — A former Rochester man recently indicted on multiple assault charges is accused of strangling and hitting a woman in June.Richard Lewis, 44, listed as a Chestnut Street resident in his September indictment, is facing a second-degree assault charge, a Class B felony, for allegedly impeding a woman’s breathing by applying pressure to her neck with one hand while covering her mouth with his other hand, impeding her breathing, according to the grand jury indictment.If convicted of the second-degree assault charge, Lewis could spend 3½ to 7 years in prison if convicted.The assault allegedly to occurred on June 18 in Rochester.Lewis also received two misdemeanor simple assault charges in connection to the incident, according to his indictment — for allegedly hitting the woman’s head off the kitchen floor with his hands, and for allegedly pulling her hair. These Class A misdemeanors each carry a maximum sentence of 12 months in the House of Corrections if convicted.In September, the grand jury also indicted Lewis on the charge of obstructing the report of a crime, also a Class A misdemeanor. The charge alleges that he disconnected the victim’s telephone after the alleged assault, by ripping the phone from the wall, so that she couldn’t call the police.Lewis, who remains free after posting his $5,000 cash or corporate surety bail, waived his arraignment that was scheduled for Oct. 4.A preliminary pretrial conference on Lewis’s charges is scheduled for Dec. 7, at 9 a.m., at Strafford County Superior Court.An indictment is not an indication of guilt; rather, it means a jury found sufficient evidence to warrant a trial.